GATHER

Malcolm Quinn Silver-Van Meter's measured narration of 16-year-old Ian Gray's first-person story makes for easy listening. The engagement it provides comes from Ian's self-aware candidness and the captivating story he has to tell. While the details include Ian's mother's drug addiction and his family's poverty, listeners will be buoyed by Gather, the dog who adopts him, his love of family and the rural Vermont land that has nurtured him, and his own scrappy, determined resilience. When Ian's mother dies, characters come forward to support him in scenes that allow listeners to see how finely the author and narrator have developed them. With humor and honesty, the many pieces of this National Book Award finalist come together in a haunting, evocative presentation. S.W. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2024]